Want to Lose Belly Fat? Here are 20 Workouts That Can Help
Let’s face it: Belly fat can be stubborn. As many hours as you spend at the gym, it can be tough to shed pounds in that area.
Visceral fat around the abs is more than an aesthetic. Research indicates too much of it can contribute to health issues, including heart disease risks (even in people with healthy BMIs) and Alzheimer's.
The foods we consume can be one factor in belly fat loss or gain—keyword: One. Aside from diet, one of the biggest reasons people struggle to lose weight in their midsection is their workout regimen. It’s important to learn which exercises target which parts of the body.
Luckily, there are a lot of great belly fat exercises that fitness experts swear by. Here are 20 of them.
Best Belly Fat Exercises
1. Reverse tabletop single-leg glute bridge
“This move is a great way to target the backside, which is just as important as the abs. Both your glutes and abdominals are part of your core,” says Jennifer Jacobs, CPT, a Beachbody Supertrainer and creator of Job1 programming.
Jennifer Jacobs
How to do it:
Position a resistance loop around the legs a couple of inches above the knees.
Start in a seated position. Place hands on the floor behind your glutes, fingertips pointed in the same direction as your feet, feet underneath bent knees.
Press hands into the floor, driving the hips up so knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line.
As the hips drive off from the floor, draw one knee in towards the chest, and the knee stacks over the hip.
Return to start lowering hips towards the floor.
Alternate between each side within the set.
Related: 'I'm a Registered Dietitian, and This Is the Most Important Vitamin for Shedding Belly Fat'
2. Cycling
“Cycling is an incredibly effective way to torch calories and burn fat while strengthening your muscles, heart and lungs,” Jacobs states.
Jennifer Jacobs
How to do it:
Alternate between moderate-intensity rides (70%-80% of your maximum heart rate) and HIIT (high-intensity interval training).
One of the most effective cycling sessions is Job 1 HIIT & HILLS, featuring short, intense efforts followed by descending recoveries.
The workout includes an interval set called "Jacobs' Peaks," a four-minute interval set.
Jacobs' Peaks:
15 seconds (8/10)
15 seconds (9/10)
15 seconds (10/10)
15-second recovery
Repeat for a total of four sets
3. Standing oblique crunch
“This move targets the obliques without straining the neck and shoulders,” Jacobs says.
Jennifer Jacobs
How to do it:
Hold a dumbbell horizontally at each end, slightly above the chest.
Drive one knee up while rotating in its direction, drawing the opposite shoulder to knee.
Return to start and repeat. Maintain the dumbbell above the chest at all times.
4. Mountain climber
High-intensity interval training is an effective way to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time, Jacobs explains. It’s a great move to target the core while moving intensely with a mountain climber.
Jennifer Jacobs
How to do it:
Hold a high plank position, shoulders stacked over wrists, hips level to shoulders.
Drive one knee up underneath the chest, alternating between sides. The faster the movement, the higher the intensity.
5. Scissor rock
“The scissor rock is a unilateral hollow hold body rock targeting the internal obliques [using a resistance loop],” Jacobs says.
Jennifer Jacobs
How to do it:
From a lying position, loop the resistance around one foot, holding onto the other end of the loop with the opposite hand.
Extend the legs above the hips and scissor the opposite foot down 45 degrees from the floor.
Engage the core by pulling the abdominals away from the waistband slightly.
Lift the head and shoulders while rocking gently from the floor, maintaining the tension of the resistance loop and tension throughout the midsection.
Related: Abs of Steel! Here Are 8 of the Best Core-Defining Workouts You Can Do at Home
6. Hollow body hold
Hollow Body Holds are the single most important foundation movement to get stronger abs and wake up that core, Kari Pearce, a professional gymnast and award-winning fitness trainer, explains. Hollow body holds will work your six-pack ab muscles and deep stability core muscles (which are essential for your posture).
Kari Pearce
How to do it:
Start on the floor, lying flat on your back.
Extend your arms over your head.
Straighten your legs out.
Eyes up towards the ceiling.
Lift your shoulders and legs up, keeping your back firmly pressed to the floor. There should be no space between your lower back and the ground!
Keep your core tight in the hollow body position.
To modify this position, if you can’t keep your back pressed flat against the ground, bring your knees into a bent position. You can also move your arms from being over your head to down by your sides.
As you become more comfortable in that starting position, slowly work on extending your arms and legs to the original hollow body position.
7. Candlestick roll
“Candlesticks are a great way to work your abs and get some high-intensity cardio while you're at it,” Pearce says. “Not only are candlesticks a great movement to work your abs, but as you stand up and add the lunge jumps, it will work your entire lower body, which allows you to burn calories and fat!”
Kari Pearce
How to do candlestick roll to sit up (Level 1 variation):
Starting in a seated position, feet together, arms up by your ears, nice and straight.
Roll backward slowly.
As you roll onto your shoulders, extend your feet towards the ceiling. Keep your feet and legs glued together. Make sure that when you’re rolling back, your feet go straight up and not over your head.
As you extend your feet up, keep your arms straight over your head. This creates the candlestick position.
Bring yourself back up to your original starting position, reaching forward to touch your toes.
Ideally, your legs are straight while in the candlestick position and when you come back to touch your toes.
How to do candlestick roll to lunge jumps (Level 2 variation):
Start standing tall with your feet together and arms up by your ears. Slowly lower yourself into the squat position. Get your butt as close to your heels as you can.
Roll down to your back slowly. As you roll onto your upper back and shoulders, extend your legs so your feet are directly up to the ceiling. Keep your legs together.
As you extend your legs up, keep your arms straight over your head. This creates the candlestick position.
Bring yourself back up by rolling forward. Bring your heels to your butt as quickly as possible.
Stand up and jump explosively into the air, landing in the lunge position.
Once you land, jump up and repeat the lunge on the other side.
Jump once again and bring your feet right back together to get another rep.
8. Spiderman push-ups
Spiderman push-ups are not just a movement for your arms, Pearce explains. These will work those six-pack abs, obliques, hip flexors, quads, shoulders, chest and triceps. You get an excellent workout because of this one movement—it's like getting two different exercises in one when you do them right.
Kari Pearce
How to do Spiderman push-ups (Level 2 variation):
Start on the floor, on your hands and toes, and your head at neutral.
You should be in a nice straight line from your shoulders to your core to your heels.
Be aware of your hips. Do not raise them up or dip them down. You want to stay in a straight line.
Engage the abs (pulled in) and squeeze the bottom tight for support.
Slowly lower yourself down by bending your arms and keeping them close to your sides. This will help you to use your shoulders, chest and triceps.
As you lower yourself, bring your left knee into your left elbow. Keep going down until your chest touches the floor. Right when your chest touches the floor is when your knee should meet your elbow.
The goal is to get full range of motion. If you can’t do that at the beginning, it is something to work towards.
After you reach the full range of motion, press yourself back up and return your left foot back to the starting position.
Return to the starting position and begin to lower yourself again, bringing your right knee into your right elbow.
If you need to modify Spiderman push-ups, then you can do push-up + knee to elbow. You will still get all of the same benefits.
How to do push-up + knee to elbow (Level 1 variation):
Start on the floor, on your hands and toes. Hands relaxed. Head neutral.
You should be in a nice straight line from your shoulders to your core to your heels.
Be aware of your hips. Do not raise them up or dip them down. Stay in a straight line.
Abs should be engaged. Squeeze the bottom tight for support.
Keep your arms close to your sides. This will help you to use your shoulders, chest and triceps.
Slowly lower yourself down until your chest touches the floor. You want a full range of motion.
Return to the starting position in a controlled movement.
Once back at the top, bring your right knee into your right elbow. Return to the push-up position.
Bring your left knee into your left elbow. Return to the push-up position.
9. Sprinter sprinter suitcase
“This movement is a must if you want to tone up your midsection,” says Pearce. “It will work your six-pack ab muscles along with your hip flexors and quads.”
Kari Pearce
How to do it:
Start on the floor, lying flat on your back.
Extend your arms over your head.
Straighten your legs out.
Eyes up towards the ceiling.
Using your abs, lift your shoulders up, keeping your back firmly pressed to the floor. There should be no space between your lower back and the ground!
Bring your arms forward as you bend one knee into your chest and straighten it back out.
Bring your arms forward as you bring the other knee into your chest, and return to the starting position.
Bring your arms forward as you bring both knees into your chest. Return to the starting position.
Continue this sequence for the designated amount of time.
10. Side-to-side floor thrusters
Side-to-side floor thrusters works your abs, obliques and other muscles that are not usually targeted in traditional ab exercises, Pearce explains. Plus, due to the high-intensity nature of this workout, you will get out of breath quickly, which means burning calories from the second you start doing them.
Kari Pearce
How to do it:
Start on the floor on your hands and toes, head neutral. Your core is engaged, and your body should be in a straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
While maintaining a tight core, jump both feet up to the side of your hands at the same time (first to the right).
Your knees will be bent, and your arms will remain straight.
Jump both feet back together to land in the starting position.
Repeat this movement, but instead of jumping your feet to the right, jump them to the left. To modify this exercise, step up instead of jumping. The goal is to be jumping, though!
11. Squats
“The great thing about squats is that they can be done in a variety of ways, including body weight, dumbbells and bands. These work to build muscle in your legs, glutes, core and back very effectively,” says Lauren Powell, a performance coach at Future.
Lauren Powell
How to do it:
Find a comfortable position for your feet, typically between hip and shoulder width apart, and adjust your feet to be pointed forward or slightly out, whatever is most comfortable.
From this position, bend the knees and hips to sit as low as you can while focusing on gripping the floor with your feet and pushing your knees out.
Keep the movement under control and the core engaged throughout.
12. Squat jumps
These are very similar to the squat but add in a jumping component, Powell explains. These are great options for getting the heart rate up while also continuing to build strength and muscle tone.
Lauren Powell
How to do it:
Repeat the same movement as the squat, this time, from the bottom of the squat position, explode upward as high as you can and land softly to go into the next repetition.
13. Dead bugs
“This is a great movement that requires only body weight. While primarily focusing on the core, this movement will also work through the shoulders, hips and back,” Powell says.
Lauren Powell
How to do it:
Lying flat on your back, bend your knees up to a 90-degree angle. Ensure your knees are right over your hips (90 degrees) while your feet are lifting to create a 90-degree angle at the knee and toes pulled toward your shin.
With arms reaching the sky, lower your right arm while extending your left leg. Keep this movement under control, ensuring your lower back stays pinned down to the floor.
After returning to the starting position, repeat on the opposite side.
14. Split jumps
This is a more advanced movement but provides a great level of challenge. While working the legs, glutes and core, you will also be getting your heart rate up, adding in a plyometric component as well, Powell states.
Lauren Powell
How to do it:
Starting in a lunge position, use both feet to push through the ground to stand tall, jumping off the ground.
If possible, switch feet to land back into the lunge position, staying under control.
If necessary, perform a rep on one leg, then switch legs and repeat.
15. Frog sit up
Training the anterior (front muscles of the core) with flexed hips away from the body helps focus the exercise into the six-pack area of the core compared to traditional crunches, which rely heavily on the hip flexors to create the crunching movement. Including at least one flexion-based exercise in your ab routine will help create definition in the “show” muscles of the core complex, Gini Grimsley, CMS, CSCS Grimsley, the director of fitness product at VASA Fitness, explains.
Gini Grimsley
How to do it:
Begin seated on the ground, with knees bent and bottoms of feet facing each other.
Lie back and reach your arms overhead.
Starting with the hands, roll the spine off the ground one by one, reaching in front of the big toes.
Slowly return to the starting position.
16. Rainbow ball slam
“Training the core in a spiral connects the lower body to the upper body. Rainbow ball slams utilize your obliques, which gives your core a strong V-taper,” Grimsley states. “The move will also improve overall strength and help you burn more calories after your workout is done.”
Gini Grimsley
How to do it:
Grab a light medicine ball that doesn’t bounce.
Hold the ball near your right hip, then extend it to an overhead position (like the arc of a rainbow) and forcefully slam the ball down towards your left pinky toe.
Squat to pick up the ball, position it near your left hip, and repeat the overhead slamming motion towards your right pinky toe.
17. Cable rotation
This move challenges all the core muscles and makes the surrounding stabilizing muscles work harder, Grimsley explains. The more muscles that are involved in an exercise, the greater the ability to burn calories, which is what helps uncover those abs you're building!
Gini Grimsley
How to do it:
Set a cable pulley to chest height with a single handle attached and select a moderate weight.
Stand tall with both hands on the handle attachment and shoulders perpendicular to the cable.
Let the weight pull your upper body back towards the cable stack, keeping your hips straight ahead.
Using your core, pull the handle back to the beginning position and repeat.
18. Suitcase carries
Gear up for your next trip and get a stellar belly workout at the same time.
"Suitcase carries enhance core stability, especially in the frontal plane, or side to side," says Michael Masi, DPT, of Garage Gym Reviews. "They also work your grip and overall functional strength, emulating real-life lifting and carrying tasks."
How to do it:
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand.
Engage your core and walk forward, keeping your torso upright and shoulders level.
Switch hands and repeat on the other side.
How to do suitcase carries (Level 2 variation)
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand.
Engage your core and walk forward, keeping your torso upright and shoulders level.
Walk about 50 feet before switching hands, and don’t put the weight down until you perform six rounds on each side.
19. Side plank holds
The idea of side planks may make you grimace, but your back (and belly) will be grateful you did them.
"This is a great exercise for building core stability and strength while also not putting too much strain on other parts of your body like your lower back or shoulders, which can be common for core exercises," explains Dr. Kyle Krupa, DPT, CSCS, the founder of KRU PT + Performance Lab.
How to do it:
Start by lying on your right or left side, with your legs straight and parallel. The elbow of your arm on the floor should be extended underneath your shoulder, and your other arm should be straight against your body.
Hold for about 30 seconds.
Complete five reps.
Repeat on the opposite side.
20. "Lazy" yoga push-ups (plank to down dog)
Don't be fooled by the word lazy: This move can provide a mean — but low-impact — belly workout.
"I love this exercise because moving through these positions is a great way to fire up the core and find movement without over-stressing the spine or the hip flexors," says Annie Landry, CPT, CES, the founder of Create Movement Collective.
How to do it:
Lie on the ground and press up into a high plank position.
Align the hands right under the shoulders, slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Press the floor away and ensure that the shoulders are not creeping up by the ears.
Hold for at least 10 seconds, then press back into a downward-facing dog position, aiming to keep only a slight bend in the elbows and no bend in the knees. Drive the heels towards the ground.
Repeat 12 to 15 times.
Next up: 40 Foods That Help Burn Belly Fat
Sources
Jennifer Jacobs, CPT, a Beachbody Supertrainer and creator of Job1 programming
Kari Pearce, professional gymnast and award-winning fitness trainer
Lauren Powell, Performance Coach at Future
Gini Grimsley, GMS, CSCS, Director of Fitness Product at VASA Fitness
Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation.
Alzheimer Disease Pathology and Neurodegeneration in Midlife Obesity: A Pilot Study. Aging and Disease.
Michael Masi, DPT, of Garage Gym Reviews
Dr. Kyle Krupa, DPT and CSCS, the founder of KRU PT + Performance Lab.
